Sun Microsystems Announces Formation of JavaSoft

Alan Baratz to Head New Business Unit

JavaSoft's mission is to develop, market and support products based on Java™ technology to customers worldwide both independently and through Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s existing business units. The JavaSoft business unit will continue to enhance the Java programming language, as well as work with third parties to create applications, tools, systems platforms and services to augment the language's capabilities.

"Since its release in 1995, Java has revolutionized programming for he Internet and other complex networks," said Scott McNealy, president, chairman and CEO of Sun Microsystems, Inc. "Creating an infrastructure around this revolutionary technology will help us get the power of Java to every software developer for the public Internet and corporate intranets, and develop Java as the Internet programming standard."

As president of JavaSoft, Baratz, 41, joins Sun's Executive Management Group, reporting directly to Scott McNealy. Baratz was previously president and CEO of Delphi, the on-line business unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. In this role, he was responsible for transforming Delphi into the first fully Internet-based on-line content and access service. This included establishing Delphi's leading-edge Web publishing studio, which is being used to develop and deliver a broad range of new on-line editorial products.

"We're privileged to have someone of Alan's stature and background leading this organization," said Scott McNealy. "His 15 years' experience in high-technology engineering and executive management is just what we need to grow this critical aspect of our business."

Before assuming the leadership of Delphi, Baratz held a number of senior management positions with IBM in New York, culminating in being named IBM Director of Strategic Development. For this role, he was hand-picked by the chairman of IBM to develop the company's corporate network services strategy, addressing industry-specific solutions, cross-industry services opportunities, and underlying global platform issues.

Baratz holds both a master's degree and a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science at the University of California at Los Angeles.

The Java language is the result of several years of research and development at Sun Microsystems, Inc. It is the first language to provide a comprehensive, robust, platform-independent solution to the challenges of programming for the Internet and other complex networks. Java features portability, security and advanced networking without compromising performance. It is a major programming language not tied to any particular operating system or microprocessor so that applications written using the Java language will run anywhere.

The HotJava™ worldwide web browser provides the responsiveness and rich media of a CD-ROM combined with the infinite extensibility of the Internet, is the first major application written in the Java language. HotJava allows users to interact with multi-media applications in real-time by downloading small software programs called "applets."

With annual revenues of more than $6 billion, Sun Microsystems, Inc. provides products and services that enable customers to build and maintain open network computing environments. Widely recognized as a proponent of open standards, the company is involved in the design, manufacture and sale of products, technologies and services for commercial and technical computing. Sun's SPARC™ workstations, multiprocessing servers, SPARC microprocessors, Solaris™ operating software and ISO-certified service organization each rank No. 1 in the UNIX® industry. Java™, Sun's platform-independent programming language, provides a comprehensive solution to the challenges of programming for complex networks, including the Internet. Sun Microsystems was founded in 1982, and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, The Network is the Computer, Java, HotJava, JavaSoft, and Solaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All SPARC trademarks are used under license and are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed through X/Open Company, Ltd. All other product or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

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